Post by Sbilo on Dec 12, 2010 23:20:22 GMT -5

With their loss against USC yesterday in the Regional finals, their 3 great seniors (Klineman, Lichtman and Ailes) will leave The Farm without any championship ring.

How will Stanford look like in the coming years without the 3 great players plus the 3rd best recruiting class not living up to the expectation, Injury-prone upperclassmen, and a debacle in 2011 recruitment?

Post by baywatcher on Dec 12, 2010 23:27:43 GMT -5

They will need a strong 2012 recruiting class. With USC returning everybody and Cal losing only the setter and a DS another conference championship seems a stretch. If the Browne(s) are not back or are injured, Stanford will be an in jury to a MB and a setter away from real disaster and perhaps missing the tournament. I do think the players they have will step up and play better, like Murrey at Cal or Fisher at Oregon, McGraw at UCLA; all players that simply had to step up and play better when stars in front of them left.

Also, it appears from hearsay that the Pac 10 coaches are onto this RPI thing and the entire conference may schedule to improve RPI, which would help each teams chances.

Post by wonderwarthog79 on Dec 13, 2010 0:11:03 GMT -5

Every year Stanford loses top players, and every next year they finish in the top ten. I agree that they shouldn't be as good as the younger Cal and USC teams, but they'll still win their share. Rachel Williams slowly improved during the year and may be better with more attempts. I would say C. Wopat is a natural middle, and there is zero chance of her moving to the outside. Lydia Bai might be as good as advertised. Question is whether they'll go to a 5-1 with Lichtman gone or find another setter. They still have top players in the pipeline for 2011.

Post by paloalto on Dec 13, 2010 0:23:47 GMT -5

I am an eternal optimist. Stanford has five very good freshmen who hopefully will progress into seasoned players by next season. I have heard Gilbert being called the next Ailes, but who knows. With Benjamin, Luck, Gilbert, and Birks, Stanford should be able to find some reliable back row players. But, yes, losing Klineman is a huge loss.

With the incredible talent of C Wopat, it was unfortunate that a more consistent connection with the setters never materialized. If Brown and Browne are healthy, I really like the idea of turning CWop into an OH but it won’t happen.

Post by Chris123 on Dec 13, 2010 1:03:28 GMT -5

It is definitely a huge loss to lose Klineman as well as Ailes and Lichtman. In the past, there always seemed to be one superstar, like Barboza, Tom or Nnamani. I'm not sure we have one coming in for the next year. Please someone tell me that we are.

Given that they did have injuries this year and a very young OH in Williams, I'm not sure I expected them to win it all this year anyway, and next year may be tougher.

Post by beachbomb on Dec 13, 2010 1:36:04 GMT -5

ok, Stanford will be fine i believe... Williams is a determined athlete who has a on going battle with Falyn (USC) since their high school days... we have to use spelman as the example... she didn't perform well at the end of the year but look at her numbers compared to last season WOW! so if Rachel can improve leaps and hurdles like that she will be a All American next year... The MIDDLES looked phenominal and active on Offense, Jessica Walker was pounding the piss out of the ball like a young Akinradewo... Carly Was pounding the ball both hit great hitting percents i think Walker hit over .700 with 12 kills that is just great.... so the middles good... SETTING.... Karissa Cook is capable and should be ready to take on the task of running this offense she is a consistant setter, and she is crafty... RIGHT SIDE.... if spelman continues to improve like she did from this last season she will be a force. she needs to work on her power take a couple pages out of Tarrah Murreys work out and confidence book and giver her pedal to the metal! LIBERO... i haven't seen the Senior Ace List but normally Liberos don't make the top 50 (gabi did because she played right side in high school) but making Under Armour All American as Libero is very impressive... racking up 600 digs in a tough CIF section and divison is tough i am excited to see her play! Benj i can see being a Jessica Fishburn a key spark of the bench that goes in and does her job (kuddos to her who dug some amazing bombs from Falyn yesterday) Sam Wopat... I've heard that she is not at the level yet but busts her butt daily and wants badly to be out there with her sister. She has alot of heat and can only gain more given better training and weight programs... Stanford will always be tough even when they don't look good on paper they are a great team... but they can't go into games like they have the past 6 years they have to go at it differently... maybe become a team that leads the country in digs and wares teams out... I'M EXCITED

Post by digit on Dec 13, 2010 3:42:03 GMT -5

Klineman, Lichtman, Ailes. I am going to miss watching these three play volleyball at Maples. Klineman put the team on her back this year and even did it last year when she wasn't 100%. Just a fierce competitor combined with fantastic physical abilities. Lichtman was super woman doing it all and Ailes as solid as they come. How often do three players like this come along and at the same time? Not often. Thanks for all the thrilling matches and good luck to three great players!

Next year's team will have their work cut out for them but will hopefully have a successful season. I think Beachbomb makes some good observations.

"Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability." John Wooden

Post by simonsun on Dec 13, 2010 3:57:37 GMT -5

I, for one, do not think the faster offense worked as well as expected for Stanford. As good as the players are on the Stanford team, they still do not have the athleticism and technique to fully utilize the advantage of this system. Setting was a big issue as we've seen for too many times those terrible 'low sets' which were totally not hittable. They could have been perfect high balls so Klineman/Lichtman could at least have the chance to take a descent swing. If you think about it you don't see that many miscues in transition for Cal, PSU, etc. It cost the Cardinal so many points in the Regional final and it's really frustrating.

I do think coach Dunning should ask the girls to hit the weight room more... No firepower on the outside and you know roll shots are NOT going to work all the time... I would love to see Klineman on the NT but she will have to bring some heat to her shots. I don't think her ball placement will work at the international level.

And for blocking. This is something Stanford should really work on. So many times they just put their hands up for other teams to tool at will (see the match against UCLA). I remember CSU got like 5 or 6 points in the first set just by hitting a high ball through the BIG GAP in the double block. It is unacceptable to see that again and again when you have plenty of time to close the block... (It was nice to see them adjusted to that in set 2 and 3 though.) At least Cal almost never let that happen in the matches I saw them playing. Either you hit over my block, or your pass and set is good enough to beat my double block.

I'm probably a pessimistic. It just seems to me that Stanford is playing the 'softest' volleyball of all the teams in the elite 8, more strategic stuff than firmly based techniques and athleticism. I do not think it helps the players in the long run (if they don't know how to put their hands over the net and close the block!). I do hope coach Dunning could prove me wrong.

Post by on Dec 13, 2010 9:04:16 GMT -5

With their loss against USC yesterday in the Regional finals, their 3 great seniors (Klineman, Lichtman and Ailes) will leave The Farm without any championship ring.

How will Stanford look like in the coming years without the 3 great players plus the 3rd best recruiting class not living up to the expectation, Injury-prone upperclassmen, and a debacle in 2011 recruitment?

Not looking good, I believe

I guess I will have to run to the store and purchase an entire case of crying towels! ;D

Post by highflyer on Dec 13, 2010 15:07:59 GMT -5

somehow Dunning always seems to turn out something good every yearI wouldn't be surprised if they shock some teams next year!

Here is an interesting fact (one that has probably been mentioned before). Dunning have never won a championship solely with players that he has recruited. Every championship he has won has had players that were recruited and trained by the previous coach.